Oxley High School's Joey Hill chosen to attend two-week National Youth Science Forum

The 16-year-old went through a gruelling interview process, but passed with flying colours such is his natural talent.

The year 11 student will now take part in the two week program in January next year, which will see him learn a number of new skills and get toured through some of the state's best facilities.

In the first week he will complete a digital program and hear from a range of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) experts, but in the second he will get to tour STEM sites and get practical knowledge of what a career in science looks like.

He said the selection process was a unique but enjoyable experience, even though he didn't initially realise he had to do them.

"I had no idea about the interviews, I just said 'yea I'll do that' and I thought that was it, then I realised I had to prepare for four interviews, one after the other on the same day," he said.

"They just want someone who can present themselves really, when I was doing the interviews it was more about how you present instead of what you say.

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"They want someone who can think freely, have their own opinion on world topics, they ask you a lot of impromptu questions and they just generally want your opinion."

The ability to think critically was also a crucial aspect of the process.

Joey said he is going into the forum with an open mind, and he is currently split on what he wants to do as a career.

"At the moment I'm interested in becoming a secondary mathematics teacher, and I'm also going to do chemistry as well," he said.

"But I chose to do this in case a different career comes up, I'm still open to doing something else because a couple of people have urged me away from teaching, so I'm still keeping my options open."

He is hoping to get a chance to look through the University of Newcastle, which is his preferred destination once he finishes year 12.

Whatever he decides to do, the academic rising star is sure to have plenty of suitors.

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